An Oklahoma lawmaker said on Wednesday he planned to introduce a "Caylee's law" in his state requiring parents to swiftly report the death or disappearance of a child in the first legislation stemming from the death of the Florida toddler. Reuters
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago

Heavy rains brought some relief to drought-stricken Texas over the last week, but much more is needed to help the U.S. South escape the historic drought that has gripped the region for months. The parched conditions in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana and through parts of other southern states are persisting, and the high heat and lack of substantial rainfall are forecast to continue, according to a report issued on Thursday by U.S. climatologists. Reuters
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago

Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., is correct that moving more than 6,000 Defense Department employees from a building right at a Metro subway stop to one just off an already-congested highway is fraught with peril. But Moran's proposed fix -- keeping DOD in its current lease at Crystal City as long as possible -- would also benefit a politically connected developer who recently became his No. 1 source of campaign contributions. Because Moran's substantive case is strong, there's no reason to posit corruption or a quid pro quo. But following the money provides an interesting case study in the way Washington works -- and how money, access and lobbying are intertwined. Washington Examiner
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CBS News
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago

NASA's final Space Shuttle mission countdown is underway and the handwringing over a manned flight hiatus is picking up. The big question: Does the last Shuttle mission signal weakness or a necessary transition to a better way? The Atlantis is scheduled to lift off for a final mission on Friday, but weather may delay the launch time. The last mission is essentially a final supply run to the International Space Station. After that, NASA---and the U.S. space program---is in a manned flight limbo of sorts as private sector picks up the space travel baton. CBS News
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Answering a question in a Twitter town hall meeting Thursday, President Obama suggested spaceflight is stuck in the Apollo-era mode and said NASA needs a technological breakthrough to allow faster, longer spaceflight with a goal of getting astronauts to Mars. "Frankly, I have been pushing NASA to revamp its vision," Obama said. "The shuttle did some extraordinary work in low orbit: experiments, the International Space Station, moving cargo. It was an extraordinary accomplishment and we're very proud of the work that it did. But now what we need is that next technological breakthrough. MSNBC
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NEW YORK—Bank of America Corp.'s plan to resolve investor complaints about how it treats troubled homeowners and foreclosed properties is the most significant move yet to reconcile the conflicting interests that have stymied efforts to fix delinquent home loans, said a BlackRock Inc. money manager. In addition to a proposed deal to pay $8.5 billion under an agreement with 22 investors, including BlackRock, Bank of America last week agreed to send some of its highest-risk mortgages to so-called special servicers—experts who specialize in assisting troubled borrowers. Wall Street Journal
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Obesity rates climbed at least 90 percent in 17 states from 1995 to last year, gains that have a direct bearing on U.S. health spending, according to a report. Nine of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are in the U.S. South, led by Mississippi at 34 percent, Alabama and West Virginia, according to the report today by the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Those states also lead the nation in diabetes and high blood pressure, the report found. Michigan was listed as 10th at 31 percent. Bloomberg
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) may sell five- year bonds today as it nears a settlement on state and federal claims over faulty foreclosures that’s increasing investor confidence in credit of the biggest U.S. bank. The notes for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank may be issued in benchmark size, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction who declined to be identified because terms aren’t set. Benchmark offerings are typically at least $500 million. Bloomberg
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago

The U.S. nuclear-power industry is considering a $1 billion plan that would create regional centers to store equipment for delivery to reactors within 24 hours of an emergency. The centers would be stocked with portable pumps and generators, radiation-monitoring equipment, anti-contamination clothing, spare batteries and flashlights, Adrian Heymer, director of strategic programs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, a Washington-based industry group, said in an interview this week. Bloomberg via Fuel Fix
Submitted 1 years 321 days ago